A Parliamentary inquiry, instigated by Eastern Region MP and new Shadow Minister for Tertiary Education and Training, Peter Hall, into the reasons why fewer country students participate in higher education is about to get underway.
Mr Hall is urging local people and organisations with an interest in education to consider making a submission to the inquiry by the State Parliament’s Education and Training Committee.
“The reality is that tertiary education participation rates for students in rural and regional Victoria have been on the decline for a number of years now, not least because of the clear difference in the ability for country students to access higher education facilities,” Mr Hall said.
“This inquiry is an important one because it will look at the reasons for those differences and make some recommendations as to how those issues can be overcome.”
Mr Hall, The Nationals’ Education spokesperson and a member of the Education and Training Committee, put the original motion to establish the inquiry in July last year. It received all party support, with the Committee now required to inquire into and report no later than 20 June 2009 on geographical differences in the rate at Victorian students participate in higher education.
“With many students – country and metropolitan – starting university and TAFE this month and next, the inquiry is timely,” Mr Hall said. “It is important that the Committee receives good information and I would encourage local people to consider making a submission.”
The committee will also be visiting a number of regional centres during this year.
A copy of the terms of reference can be obtained through Mr Hall’s office (telephone 51747066) the Committee’s office in Melbourne on telephone 03 8682 2821, or by visiting the Committee’s website at www.parliament.vic.gov.au/etc
“It is a particularly important inquiry for regions of Victoria, such as Gippsland,” Mr Hall said. “The statistics show quite clearly that if you live and go to school in country Victoria, you are less likely to go on and study at university than a student who lives and studies in Melbourne.
“There are no genetic reasons for these differences; no one can argue that country students are less intelligent than city students. The evidence suggests very strongly that where a young person lives, and a whole range of associated factors like the socioeconomic levels experienced by students and their families, influences educational outcomes. “
Mr Hall said he did not believe that going to University is the “holy grail” of education. “But it is important one for a range of reasons for those who want to go to higher education. Where we live should not impact on our ability to attend university if we choose to do so.”
Over the past five years, the number of country students enrolling in a university course after completing year 12 has fallen by about 4%. In some regions such as in the Western District and Ovens Murray, the declines have been over 20%. By contrast, the comparable figure during the same period for Melbourne-based students is an increase of 15%.
In Gippsland, the percentage of students who go to university is just over 30 per cent.
“This inquiry may well establish that geographic location is a disadvantage to people in country Victoria. If we can demonstrate this, there could be an opportunity to guide Government spending to try and redress this issue,” Mr Hall added.
Thursday, 14 February 2008
HALL IN SHADOW CABINET
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Leader of The Nationals Peter Ryan has welcomed today’s announcement that Upper House Member for Eastern Region Peter Hall has been appointed to the Coalition’s Shadow Cabinet.
Mr Hall has accepted the portfolios of Tertiary Education and Training, along with Skills and Workforce Participation.
“Peter has a strong background in the education sector, having worked as a teacher before entering State Parliament,” Mr Ryan said.
“He brings a wealth of experience to the role and has a great understanding of the needs of young people as they progress through the education system and into further training or apprenticeships.”
Mr Hall said he was particularly interested in the widening gap in the Year 7-12 retention rates between city and country students.
“The lower retention rates leads to lower participation rates in tertiary studies and further training opportunities,” Mr Hall said.
“It is widely appreciated that we need more skilled workers in country areas and I believe there are opportunities to help young people either remain in rural and regional Victoria, or return once they have undertaken further studies.
“I’m looking forward to consulting widely with the community as the Coalition develops its policies to take forward to the 2010 state election.”
Mr Ryan said the inclusion of eight country-based Members of Parliament in the Shadow Cabinet would ensure a balanced approach to decision-making.
"We have a strong team of experienced country MPs in the Shadow Cabinet to ensure that the needs of all Victorians are well represented," Mr Ryan said.
"At a time when the Brumby Government's policies are dividing city and country families, we have a Shadow Cabinet team that will work to unite our state. Victorians deserve better than the Brumby Government."
Leader of The Nationals Peter Ryan has welcomed today’s announcement that Upper House Member for Eastern Region Peter Hall has been appointed to the Coalition’s Shadow Cabinet.
Mr Hall has accepted the portfolios of Tertiary Education and Training, along with Skills and Workforce Participation.
“Peter has a strong background in the education sector, having worked as a teacher before entering State Parliament,” Mr Ryan said.
“He brings a wealth of experience to the role and has a great understanding of the needs of young people as they progress through the education system and into further training or apprenticeships.”
Mr Hall said he was particularly interested in the widening gap in the Year 7-12 retention rates between city and country students.
“The lower retention rates leads to lower participation rates in tertiary studies and further training opportunities,” Mr Hall said.
“It is widely appreciated that we need more skilled workers in country areas and I believe there are opportunities to help young people either remain in rural and regional Victoria, or return once they have undertaken further studies.
“I’m looking forward to consulting widely with the community as the Coalition develops its policies to take forward to the 2010 state election.”
Mr Ryan said the inclusion of eight country-based Members of Parliament in the Shadow Cabinet would ensure a balanced approach to decision-making.
"We have a strong team of experienced country MPs in the Shadow Cabinet to ensure that the needs of all Victorians are well represented," Mr Ryan said.
"At a time when the Brumby Government's policies are dividing city and country families, we have a Shadow Cabinet team that will work to unite our state. Victorians deserve better than the Brumby Government."
Tuesday, 12 February 2008
GOVERNMENT SELLING OFF WATER FOR SPORTS GROUNDS?
GOVERNMENT SELLING OFF WATER FOR SPORTS GROUNDS?
The State Government needs to come clean on what it is doing with Victoria’s water, according to the Nationals.
Eastern Victoria MP Peter Hall raised in Parliament this week a newspaper report which suggested that the State was considering ways in which to sell drinking water to local councils, at top dollar, and using the proceeds to fund other water saving projects. The water would be sold to councils for irrigation of sports grounds.
“The Government needs to come clean on whether it is selling drinking water to local councils for sports grounds. ”
Mr Hall told Parliament: “I can tell the house that people in my electorate and also other country Victorians are absolutely outraged that while this government is prepared to take water from the country regions of Victoria via a north-south pipeline and via a desalination plant in West Gippsland, it plans to profit from obviously excess water supplies that it has in Melbourne.
“By all means water sportsgrounds in Melbourne, but use recycled water. There is no need to use good potable water for such purposes.
“Today I call on the government to inform Victorians as to whether it has profited by selling excess water to local councils while keeping Melburnians on stage 3a water restrictions and robbing country Victorians of preciously needed water while failing to implement any projects that utilise significant amounts of recycled water.”
Mr Hall said he would pursue the Government on this issue, while also investigating the broader issues around water supply.
A Nationals- instigated Parliamentary inquiry into water supply for Melbourne will be held this year, and will look at the broad issues of water savings, including increased conservation and efficiency efforts, collection of stormwater, reuse of treated waste water, use of groundwater, small locally based desalination plants and any other options that add to better water use.
Outside Parliament, Mr Hall reiterated the view that Melbourne’s present and future water needs could be met without the need for the proposed north-south pipeline, which would divert water from the Goulburn Valley, or the desalination plant proposed for Wonthaggi.
In debate in December 2007 on the need for the inquiry, Mr Hall said; “Our (The Nationals) claim, which has been supported by government documentation was that sufficient water -- in fact, plenty of it – could be produced from treated recycled water or harvested stormwater to actually supplement Melbourne's required water supplies without the need to take more water from the north of the state, from Gippsland or from any other part of the state as well.”
The State Government needs to come clean on what it is doing with Victoria’s water, according to the Nationals.
Eastern Victoria MP Peter Hall raised in Parliament this week a newspaper report which suggested that the State was considering ways in which to sell drinking water to local councils, at top dollar, and using the proceeds to fund other water saving projects. The water would be sold to councils for irrigation of sports grounds.
“The Government needs to come clean on whether it is selling drinking water to local councils for sports grounds. ”
Mr Hall told Parliament: “I can tell the house that people in my electorate and also other country Victorians are absolutely outraged that while this government is prepared to take water from the country regions of Victoria via a north-south pipeline and via a desalination plant in West Gippsland, it plans to profit from obviously excess water supplies that it has in Melbourne.
“By all means water sportsgrounds in Melbourne, but use recycled water. There is no need to use good potable water for such purposes.
“Today I call on the government to inform Victorians as to whether it has profited by selling excess water to local councils while keeping Melburnians on stage 3a water restrictions and robbing country Victorians of preciously needed water while failing to implement any projects that utilise significant amounts of recycled water.”
Mr Hall said he would pursue the Government on this issue, while also investigating the broader issues around water supply.
A Nationals- instigated Parliamentary inquiry into water supply for Melbourne will be held this year, and will look at the broad issues of water savings, including increased conservation and efficiency efforts, collection of stormwater, reuse of treated waste water, use of groundwater, small locally based desalination plants and any other options that add to better water use.
Outside Parliament, Mr Hall reiterated the view that Melbourne’s present and future water needs could be met without the need for the proposed north-south pipeline, which would divert water from the Goulburn Valley, or the desalination plant proposed for Wonthaggi.
In debate in December 2007 on the need for the inquiry, Mr Hall said; “Our (The Nationals) claim, which has been supported by government documentation was that sufficient water -- in fact, plenty of it – could be produced from treated recycled water or harvested stormwater to actually supplement Melbourne's required water supplies without the need to take more water from the north of the state, from Gippsland or from any other part of the state as well.”
BUYERS BEWARE OF WIND FARM DEVELOPMENTS
BUYERS BEWARE OF WIND FARM DEVELOPMENTS
The State Government must amend planning guidelines to ensure that people purchasing property are informed of any plans for wind farms on adjacent or nearby land.
Eastern Region MP Peter Hall said this week that a couple in his constituency had already been caught out, despite having made extensive inquiries before going through with a purchase.
“The incident with these constituents made it obvious to me that there is an urgent need to have in place formal mechanisms that show prospective wind farm developments are situated,” Mr Hall said.
“It is unfair to have someone purchase a property and then find out later a wind farm is planned for adjoining or nearby land.”
Mr Hall told Parliament this week that such an incident had been raised with him by constituents who looked at a 100-acre property.
“In preparation for the purchase of that property they checked property titles, all local planning schemes, the local council and undertook every reasonably expected level of diligence that one would expect.
“In all the diligence they did there was no indication of a wind farm being proposed in the vicinity of the property which they were intending to purchase. The council had no indication of such a wind farm.
“It was only after the purchase was complete that they literally stumbled on the fact that a 100-turbine wind farm was planned for property immediately adjoining that which they had recently purchased. I say 'stumbled' because during an internet search on soil types they came across an internet site that indicated that a particular company was planning to build a 100-turbine wind farm on the adjoining property.”
Mr Hall said when the couple searched further, they found the proposal mentioned on the Department of Primary Industries website. The site lists a whole range of wind energy projects and the status of each of those projects in Victoria.
“It seemed to me that no authority, except for the Department of Primary Industries, had any idea that this was the proposed location for a wind farm. It puts property purchasers at a great disadvantage. They should be able to find out if a planning permit or a wind farm is being proposed for adjoining property as part of their normal evaluation before purchase.”
Mr Hall said the incident demonstrated the need for an amendment to the planning guidelines for wind farms in Victoria, with mechanisms put in place to alert intending property purchasers of prospective wind farm developments.
Mr Hall has asked the State Government to act on the matter “with a sense of urgency” to ensure other people are not disadvantaged.
The State Government must amend planning guidelines to ensure that people purchasing property are informed of any plans for wind farms on adjacent or nearby land.
Eastern Region MP Peter Hall said this week that a couple in his constituency had already been caught out, despite having made extensive inquiries before going through with a purchase.
“The incident with these constituents made it obvious to me that there is an urgent need to have in place formal mechanisms that show prospective wind farm developments are situated,” Mr Hall said.
“It is unfair to have someone purchase a property and then find out later a wind farm is planned for adjoining or nearby land.”
Mr Hall told Parliament this week that such an incident had been raised with him by constituents who looked at a 100-acre property.
“In preparation for the purchase of that property they checked property titles, all local planning schemes, the local council and undertook every reasonably expected level of diligence that one would expect.
“In all the diligence they did there was no indication of a wind farm being proposed in the vicinity of the property which they were intending to purchase. The council had no indication of such a wind farm.
“It was only after the purchase was complete that they literally stumbled on the fact that a 100-turbine wind farm was planned for property immediately adjoining that which they had recently purchased. I say 'stumbled' because during an internet search on soil types they came across an internet site that indicated that a particular company was planning to build a 100-turbine wind farm on the adjoining property.”
Mr Hall said when the couple searched further, they found the proposal mentioned on the Department of Primary Industries website. The site lists a whole range of wind energy projects and the status of each of those projects in Victoria.
“It seemed to me that no authority, except for the Department of Primary Industries, had any idea that this was the proposed location for a wind farm. It puts property purchasers at a great disadvantage. They should be able to find out if a planning permit or a wind farm is being proposed for adjoining property as part of their normal evaluation before purchase.”
Mr Hall said the incident demonstrated the need for an amendment to the planning guidelines for wind farms in Victoria, with mechanisms put in place to alert intending property purchasers of prospective wind farm developments.
Mr Hall has asked the State Government to act on the matter “with a sense of urgency” to ensure other people are not disadvantaged.
Thursday, 7 February 2008
SMALL TOWN GRANTS AVAILABLE
The Nationals Member for Eastern Region, PETER HALL encourages non-profit organisations to consider applying for grants from the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal (FRRR).
“The Small Grants for Small Rural Communities program is now open for applications and prioritises funding for rural communities of 10,000 people or less,” Mr Hall said.
“My office receives many calls for help from community groups looking for funding for worthy projects. This round of FRRR funding focuses on small communities, and many towns in the Eastern Victoria region are eligible to apply.
“Around $500,000 in funding is available each year and grants of up to $5000 are available for small rural and regional non-profit organisations that have projects and activities to aid the sustainability of their community.”
Preference is given to applications which address community hardship in drought affected areas; community infrastructure; resettlement of immigrants in rural Australia; and retention of young people in rural and regional Australia.
The closing date for this first round of funding is March 28, 2008.
“I encourage potential applicants to make a strong submission that targets the stated criteria,”
Mr Hall said.
“I am aware of a wonderful initiative that won funding by a volunteer group in another part of the State.. This group of ageing parents used their funding to lobby politicians in Melbourne and to commission a design for a house to accommodate their severely disabled children and a full-time carer.”
He said the grants had been made possible by the support of several trusts and organisations including The R E Ross Trust, The Myer Foundation, The Pratt Foundation, The William Buckland Foundation and Perpetual Trustees.
It is also supported by The Sylvia & Charles Viertel Foundation, DoTaRS, The Ian Potter Foundation, The Yulgibar Foundation, The Estate of the Late Edward Wilson Trust and FRRR, which administers the program.
Application forms, guidelines and further information can be obtained from the Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal website at www.frrr.org.au
More information can also be obtained by calling 1800 170 020 or emailing info@frr.org.au
“The Small Grants for Small Rural Communities program is now open for applications and prioritises funding for rural communities of 10,000 people or less,” Mr Hall said.
“My office receives many calls for help from community groups looking for funding for worthy projects. This round of FRRR funding focuses on small communities, and many towns in the Eastern Victoria region are eligible to apply.
“Around $500,000 in funding is available each year and grants of up to $5000 are available for small rural and regional non-profit organisations that have projects and activities to aid the sustainability of their community.”
Preference is given to applications which address community hardship in drought affected areas; community infrastructure; resettlement of immigrants in rural Australia; and retention of young people in rural and regional Australia.
The closing date for this first round of funding is March 28, 2008.
“I encourage potential applicants to make a strong submission that targets the stated criteria,”
Mr Hall said.
“I am aware of a wonderful initiative that won funding by a volunteer group in another part of the State.. This group of ageing parents used their funding to lobby politicians in Melbourne and to commission a design for a house to accommodate their severely disabled children and a full-time carer.”
He said the grants had been made possible by the support of several trusts and organisations including The R E Ross Trust, The Myer Foundation, The Pratt Foundation, The William Buckland Foundation and Perpetual Trustees.
It is also supported by The Sylvia & Charles Viertel Foundation, DoTaRS, The Ian Potter Foundation, The Yulgibar Foundation, The Estate of the Late Edward Wilson Trust and FRRR, which administers the program.
Application forms, guidelines and further information can be obtained from the Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal website at www.frrr.org.au
More information can also be obtained by calling 1800 170 020 or emailing info@frr.org.au
Monday, 4 February 2008
MINISTERS IGNORE LAKES ISSUES: NATS
Melbourne Labor Ministers have been urged to visit the region and gain a
first hand appreciation of the issues surrounding the algal bloom in the
Gippsland Lakes.
The Nationals Upper House Member for Eastern Region Peter Hall said that
Brumby Government Ministers had not visited the region to assess the impact
of the bloom or given any commitment for extra financial assistance for
tourism marketing or the nutrient reduction program.
“I’m surprised that the Minister for Environment or his other Cabinet
colleagues haven’t visited the region and gained a first hand appreciation
of the algae issues, prior to Parliament resuming sittings next week,” Mr
Hall said.
“The negative publicity surrounding the algal bloom has undoubtedly had an
impact on the region’s reputation and it would be worthwhile for senior
Ministers to come to Gippsland and meet with community representatives.
“Although the warnings against swimming in affected areas are still in
place, it is very important that we continue to keep stressing all of the
other activities which can still be enjoyed by visitors to East Gippsland –
such as swimming on the 90 Mile Beach; boating and fishing on the lakes;
and exploring the other attractions in the region.
“The Brumby Government Ministers could assist in promoting that message
through visits to the region and a financial commitment to additional
resources for tourism marketing in the future.”
Mr Hall said he was also concerned about the longer term environmental
health of the Lakes and catchment areas.
“Algal blooms have occurred in the past and it is very likely that they
will occur in the future unless we have more success at reducing the amount
of nutrients entering the system,” he said.
“Unfortunately, the Brumby Government has cut funding for the nutrient
reduction program from an average of $3.2 million per year to just $2
million per year. In the lead up to this year’s State Budget, I will
continue to raise the issue in Parliament and seek extra funding for
ongoing research and resources to reduce the amount of nutrients which
enter the system in the first place.
“The environment of the Gippsland Lakes is vital to the social and economic
life of our region and there needs to be a long-term commitment to
restoring the system to better health.”
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